Dental hygienist

[Aparecium]

I'm an NHS patient at a dentist that is part of a chain. I'm nervous patient, so sometimes I forget to ask questions, or don't think to ask for clarification.

The dentist suggested I see the dental hygienist. Am I correct in understanding this to mean that the dentist hasn't said it's clinically necessary, so it won't be covered on NHS? If so, is there any reason I have to see the hygienist at my practice, or can I go elsewhere?

If it was only a suggestion then you are correct in that won’t it won’t be covered by the NHS. So, no you don’t have to see one at the practice you are currently at but not all hygienists accept direct access patients

It’s preventive dentistry rather than necessary. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss (Christ I sound like that advert 😂) but a good deep clean whilst not cheap, will be beneficial to your oral health.

I guess it’s like getting a car serviced annually. It’s not compulsory, however it can flag up things that aren’t working as well as they should and catch the issues before they become bigger and more expensive

I agree that I should do it, and intend to. It's just that my practice does not offer appointments after 5pm, which is really inconvenient.

A hygienist is seen as a private service so you technically don’t have to go to the same dentist to get it done but it’s convenient as it’ll be on your dental records and any found issues will be on there for the dentist to access at your next appointment